Quotable Country – 09/13/10 Edition

September 13, 2010 by C.M. Wilcox

Click the bullet after each quote to visit the original source.

I told one of them guys, the last time they put out a record with my name on it, my name was really big and on the front, above my picture. And the label’s name was really small and on the back, next to the bar code. That tells me that they’re selling my brand, so I’m going to make damn sure that’s the case. I’m going to make the music I feel I need to be making, and that only comes from one source. ●– – Jamey Johnson to Peter Cooper, on label relations.

Stick to it, but know who you are. Because if you don’t, someone will definitely think they know who you are … and they’ll turn you into that. Then you’ll be singing some lame song that you don’t believe in and that you wouldn’t want to listen to — and you’ll be singing it a thousand times. So you better try to hone in and get it right, then work harder than anyone else. ●– – Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild offers advice to up-and-coming artists.

Miranda is so country and has a sassiness to her you can hear it as soon as she sings her first line, ‘My daddy worked all night in the Van Lear coal mine.’ ●– – Loretta Lynn on one of her “Coal Miner’s Daugher” singing partners.

The existence of paranormal phenomena is something I’ve always wanted to explore further. ●– – Coincidentally, the possible existence of paranormal phenomena is something I’ve always reserved judgment on, in hopes that Billy Ray Cyrus would eventually register his opinion via a television reality show costarring his goth-looking, skinny-jeans-wearing son. Finally, the time has come!

My favorite school memories were after school memories when I would jump off the school bus run as fast as I could to the house to drop off my school books. I’d grab my 410 shotgun and my dog, and head for the woods till it got too dark to see. Then, I’d head home and see what was left of supper! ●– – Predictably, Aaron Tippin’s treasured back-to-school memories have little to do with books or classrooms.

A few years later I was way into it, had all the Beastie Boys cassette tapes. I’ve always loved good hip hop and good rap. I love Eminem, I think he’s a genius, hopefully not about to become a parody of himself, but I think he’s original and good. So, anyway, on “El Camino” I sort of feel like I’m spittin’ my flow [laughs]. I don’t know, maybe. That’s probably a stretch, but that’s what it feels like to me. ●– – Elizabeth Cook on her first foray into rap (or talking blues?).

Q: What can we expect from your live show?
A: Fun. Fun. I call it “funtry.” ●– – Jennifer Nettles coins a new phrase. I hope to God that “funtry” doesn’t catch on.

I remember watching an old talk show, it might have been Mike Douglas, on TV. And the guests were Jan Peerce, the great operatic tenor, and Waylon Jennings, on the same show. And Jan came on and did, I have no idea what he sang. But it was beautiful and he hit all the notes and it was powerful and he had all the beauty that talent and discipline can provide.
But a little while later, Waylon came on and played, just him and his guitar. I think he played ‘Amanda,’ the Barbara Mandrell song, and it just was so powerful. And Waylon, half the notes he (sang), he didn’t really hit them. It was just this sort of rough stone of a man up there singing these tender lyrics, and I never forgot that. I thought: ‘Wow that’s what it’s about.’ You talk about people crying. It reminds me of that moment for me. I said: ‘That’s what you can do, just sitting up there and meaning what you say. That’s all it takes.’ You can practice and have teachers, like Jan Peerce. But what people really want is to be touched the way Waylon Jennings touched me. ●– – Folk singer-songwriter Jesse Winchester on the power of music.

We’ll cap another shorter-than-usual edition with video of Jamey Johnson doing one of the best songs on the altogether excellent Guitar Song, out tomorrow(!). You won’t want to miss this one.

Elizabeth Cook’s first talkin’ blues song was “Dolly” off her “Hey Y’All” major label debut album. I would rate “El Camino” as her first “rap” song though! Considering the kind of music she’s been listening to its no wonder Elizabeth keeps straying further and further from her country roots! And here I thought it was all her husband’s fault! (lol) Thank goodness Sunny Sweeney will be there to take up the slack…

It sounds like listening to Miranda’s vocal contribution to “Coal Miner’s Daughter” is the very first time Loretta has heard Miranda sing! Well, at least the first time she can remember hearing Miranda sing.

I think Billy Ray’s son is absolute proof of the existence of a para-normal realm.

I didn’t think Jennifer Nettlesome could possibly get any more annoying, but she’s proven me wrong yet again. Way to go Jen…

Now I understand why Jesse Winchester’s vocals are the way they are! Its too bad his role model wasn’t someone with a set of pipes like Marty Robbins, Carl Smith, or Faron Young. Oh well…

This is a good edition but sadly this feature has gone downhill ever since CMT stopped publishing Alison Bonagruro’s idiocy. I don’t know if Bonaguro will be coming back but I hope so. Her stupidity was always entertaining.